While drilling from the Snorre A platform in the Norwegian North Sea on Saturday, Statoil reports significant losses of drilling fluid occurred prompting a partial evacuation of the platform.
Statoil notes that the drill crew was able to stem the losses of drilling fluid, however 117 out of a total 254 platform personnel were transferred to Gullfaks A and Gullfaks C … [Read more...]

By Kathy Finn
NEW ORLEANS, Oct 2 (Reuters) - BP's manager in charge of controlling the Macondo blowout in 2010 was never trained to permanently plug a ruptured oil well and said in court on Wednesday the British company was not fully prepared for the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history.
On day three of the second phase of a federal trial in New Orleans over the … [Read more...]

UPDATE: Hercules Jack-Up Rig Catches Fire
Hercules Offshore (NASDAQ: HERO) reported Tuesday that it is currently experiencing "a well control incident" on board its jack-up drilling rig Hercules 265 in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.
All personnel have been evacuated and efforts are ongoing to regain control of the natural gas well.
The rig is on contract with Walter Oil … [Read more...]